Archive of Our Own

“Hey, I just hope I don’t let the three of ya down.”

It was an aloof, almost dismissive response from Ace, in retort to 2D’s long winded diatribe of appreciation for what Ace had done up to that point. With the previous bassist - they had agreed to say his name as little as possible and so far it was going well - leaving them high and dry, Ace had been the hydration they had sorely needed, slotting in with a cool confidence that reassured the band in what could’ve been a dire moment for their career and dynamic. With rediscovered hope, they had resolved to proceed with the plans for the album.

His initial assigned role for the tour complete, Ace had somewhat dramatically started his goodbyes, before the trio, fronted by 2D, had asked if he minded staying to play bass on the new album they’d be surprising people with that year.

A few days later and the empty room at Kong had a new resident. After initial pleasantries and house tours, 2D had told him with a few nervous jitters that he was taking the creative lead for this one, and that maybe it’d be a good idea to chat about the band, the album and any questions Ace might have had. They sat on the sofa with a polite distance between them, Ace leaning back with arms spread out, while 2D was leaning forward, a slight general rock keeping him at ease. Someone with no knowledge of the band would not have been successful in guessing who the newbie and who the frontman was.

“There weren’t have been no hard feelings even if you said no,” 2D reassured him, “but we’re all real glad you didn’t.”

“So what’s day-to-day like around here?” Ace asked cheerfully, “I wanna make sure I ain’t breaking any house rules.”

2D scoffed at the concept, “If there are any, I reckon I’d break ‘em long before you did.”

“Well now’s your chance to change them.” Ace reminded, a single eyebrow raised mischievously.

2D giggled at what was clearly an unserious remark.

“Nah, no real rules, we just have a really nice thing going.” He answered. “There’s hustle and bustle, in like the creative, productive way. No bad ideas sort of thing, or people being isolated. I’ve wanted it like this for years.”

“Right there with ya on that. I know what it's like to be around nothin’ but uncertainty, wondering where next cheque or big idea’s comin’ from. Stuck with only your own mind.” Ace gave a frustrated sigh, then turned the casual smile back on. “But maybe that’s just me. You are lookin’ at an only child.”

“Me and all! We all are now, far as we know.”

“I always kinda wanted one,” Ace recounted wistfully, his eyes using the moment to scour the living room for clues to their dynamic, “Seemed like it’d be good practise for leading your own gang. You can learn how to boss someone round and not worry about making mistakes.” He spotted a pile of DVD’s by the TV and haphazardly balled up blankets by the armrests of each sofa.

“That’s not how I heard it goes,” 2D responded, thinking gravely of the only person he knew well that had a sibling, “I don’t think I’d be able to handle it. I bet they’d get all nasty ‘cuz they get away with more. And, you’d be all responsible for them, having to check they’re alright and not getting up to anything bad and that. Yeah, no, a little brother or sister sounds like a right nightmare.”

“Toochi!” Noodle called in a sing-song voice, swinging her head round the living room door, “I made too much gyros for just me so I’ve made you one, it’s by your bed with a beer and a glass of water for the post-beer headache.”

“Wicked, cheers love!” he beamed, “We still on for milk and cookies tonight?”

“Fucking right we are, got the fancy farm shop ones and everything!” she grinned back, before swinging dramatically out of eyeshot.

2D turned back to Ace, his dumb, excitable smile fading away into one of relaxed contentedness. Ace’s sunglasses successfully disguised a look of bemusement.

“Sorry, what were we talking about?” 2D asked.

Ace adjusted his sitting to be both more upright and slightly leaning in towards 2D, allowing him to talk in a somewhat hushed tone.

“So they’ve all agreed you’re talking the lead for this album cycle.”

“Yeah, we decided together.” 2D’s grin returned as he spoke. It was still a strange thing to hear, to have accepted without protest.

“And what’s that gonna mean? What changes with you at the wheel?”

2D leaned back, pondering. He hadn’t got as far as the day-to-day runnings yet, he was still too busy being enamoured with the title.

“Well, uh… you’re here. That’s different straight away.”

Ace waved the point away, “Take me out of it. What are you doing?”

“Err…”

A familiar feeling of discomfort was coming over him. The feeling of being overly perceived, scrutinised. These were fair questions, 2D had to remind himself. Ace wasn’t doing it to criticise, he just wanted context.

“More interviews, probably.” He said, feeling a bit like he was in the middle of one now. “A lot of the rags prefer to have just one person, less mad that way, so it’ll usually be me now I reckon. I mean, Noodle and Russel are great at them, better than me to be honest, but they don’t like doing them that much which is fair. What else, what else, er… helping sign collaborators on, I never really did that before, some take a lot of convincing to get on board-“

Ace cut him off with a soft but firm hand on his shoulder, “I’ma stop you there.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re describing what’s in it for them,” he pointed out the door. 2D was quite sure who he was referring to, but before he could check just to be sure, Ace continued, “What’s in it for you. You’ll be working harder than ever, what are you getting out of it?”

2D’s tongue toyed at the gap in his teeth as he considered. Some reasons got close to emerging, but they all sounded a bit embarrassing when he imagined saying them out loud. If Ace had asked him this 15 years ago, an unapologetic tirade would’ve emerged of claims of greatness being suppressed, untapped potential, futuristic electro-funk-rock directions, seedy back-alley beach aesthetics and, definitely not most importantly, hordes of adoring groupies.

But that was then, and now he was just over a month from turning 40.

“Dunno!” He said finally with a shrug and a crooked grin, “Just cool to say you’re in charge, innit?”

Ace nodded slowly before rubbing at his forehead. 2D managed to hear a quiet sigh that he likely wasn’t meant to hear.

The sofa became a small focus point as 2D scratched at it, sketching nondescript patterns into the fabric as the second hand on the clock made it clear exactly long the silence was lasting.

Ace didn’t seem to hold much regard for their synergy. But it worked. Sometimes it worked really well. And of course he wished he wasn’t undermined from time-to-time, or that he didn’t overhear the occasions his bandmates were talking about him like he was an old, dumb broken childhood toy, or that his ideas didn’t exist just to be taken and mashed up and changed to the point he didn’t recognise it anymore. But it was worth it, if they were all getting on. He knew the alternative.

“I’m not saying the right things, am I?” 2D asked Ace, who was still trying to make a hole in his own forehead.

Ace stopped instantly and looked at him. A low chuckle emerged, almost an opportunistic one.

“Is it cool if I give you some advice? Not saying you gotta follow it but, y’know, in my own time as a leader I’ve learned a thing or two.”

2D Nodded. “Please.”

“You ain’t wrong. Ever. You don’t say wrong, you don’t do wrong, you don’t think wrong, you don’t look wrong.”

A gulp emerged from 2D, “That sounds tricky.”

Ace shook his head, “You got it backwards, blue. You already ain’t wrong. And you gotta stop thinking you is. ‘Cuz if you don’t believe in you, you can be damn sure they never will.”

He pointed again, and this time 2D suspected the ‘they’ expanded beyond the further than the four walls of the house.

“It’s paramount you’re taken seriously,” Ace continued, “Now I ain’t saying you can’t be nice, but there’s plenty of time for being nice once you have their respect.” He paused, checking for any sort of reaction before continuing, “You got their respect?”

For 2D, that was the easiest question Ace had asked so far. He nodded enthusiastically, “Oh, no doubt. 100%.”

“Here you go, D.” Russel rounded the corner, three full bags for life hung on one arm, and tossed an 18 pack of toilet paper at 2D, “extra strength quad ply.”

2D squinted to check it was the brand he approved of. Satisfied, he grinned at Russel. “Legend, thanks Russ.”

“Now that ain’t cheap.” Russel explained in a softly reprimanding tone, “If you’re that worried about going right through, it’d be a lot kinder for the books if you opted for cutting your fingernails instead.”

“But I might-“

He was silenced by Russel’s open hand indicating he should calm down, “Let me or Noodle trim them if you’re scared to take too much off.”

Ace watched as 2D eyed his fingernails warily, clutching onto the toilet roll securely.

“Ok.” 2D said finally, “This’ll be the last pack, promise.”

“I appreciate it. ‘Sup Ace.”

“All good, big guy.” Ace half-responded, half-asked with a Cheshire-cat smile. It didn’t necessitate a response, and Russel didn’t offer one as he left with the remaining groceries.

“See?” 2D told Ace with pride, “I asked him to get stronger loo roll and he did. What’s respect if not that?”

“Mm.”

Satisfied with the curt concurrence, 2D leaned back and scanned the room, likely a parroting of the times he’d noticed Ace doing the same thing.

Seeing nothing particularly noteworthy, he leaned forward and lightly thwacked Ace on the arm in an earnest attempt at camaraderie.

“Right, think the last thing you gotta see is the roof, then I should-“

“Can we get out of here?” Ace cut in once more, “Get something to eat? I ain’t stayed in ye olde London before, heard there’s some crazy good food spots.”

2D’s mouth tightened, considering the options quickly.

“Not like you gotta ask permission, right?” Ace taunted.

“Course not.” 2D insisted, clearing his throat upon hearing the slight whine in his tone, “No, yeah. Let’s go.”

~

Japes was pretty busy, but it seemed a smart enough place to be relatively used to celebrity patrons.

Only one pizza had been ordered upon their arrival, Ace reasoning that he didn’t feel particularly hungry anymore. As a result, the six slices that sat on 2D’s plate had quickly turned to three, while the two on Ace’s were being worked on at a much slower pace.

“What you saying?” 2D grinned, a small amount of pie showing through the gap in his teeth, “Authentic or what?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Ain’t you from Chicago?”

Ace recoiled a little in mock offence, “Dude, I’m from Townsville.”

“Didn’t realise that was a real place.” 2D hummed, distracted.

“The East Coast alone’s got 3 Townsville’s. America’s a big-ass country. We have more London’s than you do.”

“Woah.” 2D didn’t look up, busy starting work on the newest slice.

In the time it took Ace to take a single bite of his own portion and sip at his chocolate milkshake, 2D’s was already done. Ace looked at him, and more specifically looked at the hauntingly skinny frame that was devouring almost an entire pie with so little effort.

“You hungry?” He smirked.

“Yeah.” 2D warbled, and swallowed before clarifying, “I’m a bit rubbish at noticing when I’m hungry to be honest. My tummy’s got so many reasons to hurt it all sorta mushes together.”

“Probably a real lifesaver you got someone telling you when to eat.”

2D raised an eyebrow. “What, you?”

Ace shook his head. “The gyro.”

“Oh!” 2D nodded, then stopped, looking down in ashamed realisation at what he was eating instead, “Oh, shit.”

Ace flapped a hand that was likely telling 2D not to worry about it, “Hey, as long as you’re eating, sure that’s all she cares about.”

2D considered for a moment, eventually tilting his head in acquiescence. He went to take another bite, then stopped, pointing a crooked finger Ace’s way.

“By the way, I don’t get told when to eat. I’m not a kid.”

“She had both dinner and desert planned out,” Ace cited with a laugh, “Didn’t even ask what you wanted.”

2D pouted in lieu of an immediate response. It made sense to him, but that didn’t mean it could be worded in a way that would make sense to a newcomer.

As Ace watched him thinking, mouth hung on the straw of his milkshake, 2D realised with relief that the explanation could be as simple as that.

“It’s cuz we all spent the last couple years getting to know each other better. Like, properly. What we like and don’t like. It’s made us proper close.”

“That was clear.” Ace noted, tongue somewhere in his cheek, “You guys are quad-ply levels of thick.”

“You not like that with your lot?” 2D smiled, either not noticing or not caring about the dig, “When you’re around each other long as we been, not much point bein uptight about things.”

“No I totally get it. I assume that openness extends to disagreements.”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah I’d say so. Though a lotta disagreements came mainly from Murrr…” he caught himself just in time, and reworded the sentence accordingly, “…we’re all expecting less disagreements for this album.”

Ace raised an eyebrow, where it peered voyeuristically over the top of his shades, “You serious? Creative minds like yours ain’t gonna clash?”

“No, well, no I mean obviously we might have different ideas, but we’ll be, like, y’know, civil about it.”

Ace nodded, and took a bite of pizza, taking a moment to enjoy the view.

2D let out a breath, realising only then that his breathing had become rather short. There was a charm to Ace, an astute nonchalance that only truly existed in someone that had seen it all. He wasn’t afraid to question things or call things out which, 2D repeated internally, was a good thing. If they weren’t wanting to switch things up, why was he being put in charge at all? Getting Ace on board was going to make things so much easier.

“There’s some crazy talent in that house,” Ace said after another moment, gaze still fixed outside the window, “you can feel it, just by walking in.”

Incited by the positive affirmation, 2D perked up at once, shuffling to an upright position on his stool.

“Mate, you haven’t even seen the half of it yet. Russ is super chill about it, but there’s literally no-one that knows how to make a beat work better than him, it’s as easy for him as… dunno, opening a door is for you and me, y’know? And Noodle sticks with guitar cuz its her favourite, but she can play any instrument. Like, anything. At all. Put anything in front of her and she’s like, top 20 in the world at it, like that.”

He snapped his fingers, and waited patiently for Ace to meet his level of excitement.

Conversely, Ace seemed to be taking more interest in his shake, only a faint nod showing he’d even listened.

“Wow.” He offered, before taking a drink, “You sound more like a fan than a leader.”

2D glee stuttered to a halt. “Is that bad?” He asked, leaning in with his voice lowered.

“Not my place to say.” Ace shrugged. He snatched a handful of napkins and used most of them to wipe his mouth, but tucked a few into his jacket pocket, “So they’re excited about you being in charge for this one?”

2D nodded, but had learned his lesson on not coming across as too enthusiastic. “Seem to be. I’m sorta the only one that hasn’t had the main say on a proper album.”

“That was a whole load of caveats you just said.” Ace pointed out, the bewildered eyebrow emerging once more.

“Whole load of…”

“Seem to be. Sorta. Main say. Proper.”

“I’m with ya. What I mean is I did a little album after Mur- after our third one, but it wasn’t like a full-on effort. Just like a musical journal, I guess.”

With Ace off in the middle-distance, late afternoon sunshine resting against his shades, there was an almost romantic level of wistfulness in his demeanour. “What’s real music if not that?”

The broken eye-contact permitted 2D to do the same, looking down at his fingers working on tiny notches in the wooden table.

“Anyway, I made it just me, and Russ and Noods don’t… they’re nice about it, but I don’t think they really…”

“Get it?”

“…count it.”

“Damn.” Ace sounded genuinely surprised, and concerned, for the first time in their conversation. “That’s way worse.”

The fingers took a break from scratching to grip the table tightly. He was definitely saying the wrong thing this time. There was a reason he hadn’t been trusted to do many interviews on his own. This always happened, he’d go in with the best intentions of talking about the album or his perfect Sunday or whatever the theme had been, then before he knew it he found himself going on impossible-to-transcribe diatribes or agreeing with conspiracy theories regarding his own band.

Ace was still looking out the window, and he took the moment to join in, hoping the people watching might help to calm him. He suddenly became very aware that he wasn’t at home. Noodle or Russel stepping in to explain what he really meant used to be a point of irritation. But now he’d do anything to have it.

Reasoning that there’d be a lot of this going forward, and not with someone as patient as Ace, 2D summoned a determination from somewhere to put it right.

“I get how it might look when you’re just comin’ in,” He assured firmly, “But they ain’t the problem, they never have been. There’s less problems when they’re around. I think a lot of-”

“What the hell?” Ace had turned to 2D during his disclaimer, and his interruption had seemingly been completely involuntary.

“What?”

“Your eyes.” Ace said, pointing between each of them quickly, “They just went white.”

The white eyes blinked in surprise, before 2D gave a slight annoyed grunt.

“Oh shit, sorry. That happens sometimes, something to do with the amount of pressure or blood in my head, or something. One sec.”

Swivelling in his stool so he could lean down, 2D tilted towards the ground and, not particularly gently, pushed the balls of his hands into his eyes. Each hand trembled slightly as he pressed, implying he was laying down substantial pressure.

“Shouldn’t need much more.” he grunted.

“Ya mind treating me like the biggest moron in the room and explaining why you’re doing this?” Ace pondered, peering over the table at him.

“I didn’t have to do it myself for a while,” 2D explained through a grimace, “first couple years they were black no matter what. Dunno if they’re tryna heal or something, but every year it feels like it takes more and more to turn them back.”

With a final push, he sat up, gasping like he was resurfacing from underwater.

Ace looked at each eye in turn.

One was black. One was white.

“Did I do it?”

Ace shook the surprise off his face, reaching into another jacket pocket and taking out a spare pare of sunglasses.

“Maybe just wear these.”

2D snorted in amusement at the sight, but nodded in gratitude and applied them. “But yeah, like I was saying… what was I saying?”

“The others. They look after you.”

“Yeah. Well, no. They look out for me.”

Ace offered a quick hand out in acknowledgement of the correction, “It’s cute, I see why you let them.”

“I let them?”

“No doubt. Cuz you don’t need anyone looking after you.” He took a drink, then stopped prematurely to amend himself, “Out for you.”

“I guess not.” 2D murmured, his own eyebrow faintly raised, “It is nice though.”

“Easy, maybe. And I ain’t saying you weren’t owed easy after all you’ve been through.”

2D swallowed quickly. Too quickly, and he choked a little at the sudden motion. Ace watched with an eerie patience.

“Uh, all I’ve been through?” 2D managed to cough out.

He jumped at the motion and sound of Ace slamming his shake on the table, who then reeled back on his stool and cracked his neck in frustration.

“Jeez Louise, blue, you can say it! You can think about it!” He lowered his voice, making sure the next sentence was only for the two of them, “You can think about that guy.”

2D shrunk back, just his nameless mention already beginning to undermine anything he may have been planning for the album.

Ace had to lower himself to almost be lying on the table, just to achieve 2D being above him. Looking up, his sharp eyes became visible for the first time that day.

“You’re strong, 2D.”

2D’s face screwed up, confusion mixed with something else. Amusement, or maybe fear. “But… well… I’m not-”

“I mean ain’t you the crazy bastard that survived two years of being tortured day in, day out, then a year living inside a whale, then a year of living on a deserted island?”

The asterisks flew into 2D’s mind and came out without thinking, “I mean... torture is a stretch, torture's like when they electrocute you into talking, and he only did that twice, and it was to get me to stop talking. And it weren’t a deserted island, in the end.”

Ace dismissed the dismissal with a shake of the head. “That’s real strength, dawg. Douchebags hit the gym 3 times a day because they know they ain’t ever getting the kind of strength you got.”

It was 2D’s turn to use the window as a focus point, taking a napkin and slowly ripping little squares from it.

“Is there a chance, even if they ain’t meaning it, that they don’t want that strength coming out? In case it turns on them?”

“I don’t reckon that’s right.” 2D whimpered, “I wouldn’t do that. I love them. They love me.”

“Would they still love you if you told them no? If you stood up to them?”

“I… think so.”

Ace was moving imperceptibly closer. “Shouldn’t you really know for sure? When you’ve been around each other as long as you have?”

“We should probably head back.” 2D mumbled, forgetting any attempt at assuredness.

Ace was close. He could tell.

“Tell me what you want.”

2D looked down at his hands as he realised with a panic that he’d run out of napkin to rip. He pulled his new sunglasses off and rubbed roughly at his eyes.

“Can’t…”

“You seen my past?” Ace sneered wickedly, “I ain’t gonna judge. It’s just you and me.”

2D tore away his hands, keeping his eyes shut. A cliff edge had appeared from nowhere, the edge people had always warned him to never go near, never bothering to explain why.

“Won’t get upset?” 2D whispered, “Or scared?”

Ace lifted his head, until the tops of their foreheads were touching.

“Tell me, what you think about.”

There was a deep inhale, then 2D opened his eyes. One black and one white, matching Ace’s stare.

“I think about kicking Murdoc’s fuckin head in.”

Ace swallowed.

“Keep going.”

“I think about makin’ him beg me to stop. They all are actually, screaming he’s had enough, screaming at me to stop, but I don’t stop. I keep going till I don’t even remember what colour his stupid skin is. I wanna hurt him. For doing this, when we thought he was better. Everything he’s done to us, done to me. I want him to feel scared. I want him to feel wrong for not believing in me. As wrong I felt for believing in him.”

Like the trance had worn off, 2D’s disconnected his head from Ace and leaned back with a gasp, looking deeply horrified by what he’d just said.

Ace offered a kind smile. “How long’s that guy been kept away, eh?”

“I-I won’t though.” 2D stammered, “I’d never. I don’t know if I even could.”

“Isn’t that crazy? That you don’t know what you’re capable of?”

Little half shrugs and slight throat croaks were the only response as 2D struggled to think of an answer.

“Even if you won’t.” Ace finished for him, “Don’t ignore the guy that wants to. That’s the guy that’s gonna stop it ever happening again. Not Russ, not Nood, not me. That guy. You.”

The hot air and noise of the street smothered 2D as he stumbled onto it. Disgruntled Londoners seemed less than impressed by his panicking, tutting and sighing and occasionally pushing past as he patted his pockets.

“Bloody hell,” he cursed to himself, “not now, come on.”

Many passers-by were looking at him, likely affronted by the inconsistency of his eyes. They weren’t the stares he was used to. They were intrusive.

He fumbled around his pocket until he found the sunglasses and hurriedly applied them.

“Hanging in there?” Ace chirped, strolling casually out of the restaurant to meet him.

“Left everything at the house, I ain’t got my fags.” 2D explained hurriedly.

“Here,” once more Ace reached into his pocket and handed over a plastic turquoise vaporiser pen.

2D inspected it, before taking a drag.

“Not bad, right?”

“It’s like, fake sweet.” 2D mused, taking another hit, “I like it.”

He took one more drag, then went to hand it back to Ace, who stopped him with his hand. 2D didn’t fight the offer, tucking it into his pocket.

“I don’t think this is me being strong. Or right.”

“I got good news.” Ace grinned, “You ain’t started yet. So leave it all here, outside. And if it feels like too much again, bring it to me. I know the pressure better than most.”

“Why would you do that? You just started.”

Ace put a soft hand on 2D’s shoulder, shrugging offhandedly with his other arm.

“Giving you an easier time means we all have an easier time. And that way things can stay like this for a long, long time.”

He look at Ace’s hand, then down at the ground, considering deeply.

The people may still have been pushing and tutting, but he didn’t notice them anymore.

“I don’t wanna go home yet.” 2D said firmly.

~

“No way, you had Squeeze over there?”

“You’re damn right we had Squeeze, what, you think we’re just cavemen over there?”

The pair cackled as they re-entered Kong, the early-summer sun almost entirely descended.

“Dunno, thought you guys listened to nothing but, like, Kenny Loggins back then.”

“You better cram it, Mr. Loggins is a national hero.”

2D was still giggling down the hallway as they neared passing the living room.

“I’m thinking of putting some American influence in these tracks actually, when you listen to these demos have a think of-“

“Hey.”

A new, third voice from somewhere.

2D stopped dead, and took a couple steps back to meet the doorway to the living room.

With a couple of duvets and a full bowl of cookies, Noodle sat on the sofa, back against the armrest to be facing the door. She’d been on her phone, but locked it and put it down immediately upon seeing him.

2D pulled the sunglasses off and hid them in his pocket, as if that was some clue to his whereabouts. “Huh?”

“What the hell? Been ready to go for hours, I tried to call but you didn't take your phone with you.”

He scratched a nervous itch at the back of his head, “Oh blimey, really?”

“Oh blimey, yeah.” Noodle repeated in a dopey tone, before switching back to frighteningly firm, “Look, if something comes up that's fine, but let me know next time, please.”

He looked down, chewing his bottom lip. He started a look behind him, to where Ace was standing awkwardly, but stopped, perhaps aware of how cowardly that might look.

Noodle looked down, and blinked in surprise at his fists clenching and unclenching. She hadn’t seen him do that in years.

She perched down to get a better look at his face. The quickly dwindling light made it hard to tell, but one eye looked a little darker than the other. He was staring straight through the floor, trembling slightly.

He was annoyed, and embarrassed, and annoyed to be embarrassed.

She sighed, and leaned back to attempt a more casual demeanour. 

“So many cookies uneaten,” She declared in a sillier tone, gesturing at the bowl, “Their purpose unfulfilled. How could you do that to them?”

2D’s head popped up and he gave a snap of a shrug. It was likely meant to appear uncaring. It looked anything but.

“More for you.”  He sniffed quickly, “You always get mad at me for having too many anyway. Woulda thought you'd be happy.” 

“I’m not…” Noodle paused, unsure of both whether he was being serious, and whether to entertain it if he was. A slight laugh emerged as she continued, “…I don’t mean it. You know I don't mean it.”

“Well then be worse at lying,” 2D muttered bitterly, “cuz it never seems it.”

Something else had upset him, that was obvious. Her instinct was to wonder if it was something Ace had done, or said. Were it not for the fact that 2D had entered with him in an audibly cheery mood.

The sound of a slight rustle came from behind 2D, and Noodle suddenly felt hyper-aware of Ace’s presence, arms folded tightly as he leaned against a side table, eyes focused on the opposite side of the room.

She cursed herself for the slight embarrassment that she too seemed to be conjuring, and resisted the instinct to snap her own olive branch in half.

“Ok.” She conceded, holding her hands up, “I didn’t realise you weren’t in on it. Better communication needed all round. Now we know for next time, eh.”

“Can do you one better, love,” 2D said, his tone dropping an octave to give off a cold indifference, “there might not be a next time for a little bit. Ace is really interested in getting to know the ins and outs of us, and I don't want it to eat into recording so we'll be doing it during a lot of my free time.”

Noodle blinked once, and looked over 2D’s shoulder.

Seemingly sensing the eyes, Ace looked at her and gave a single wave.

Each tick of the second hand seemed louder than the last as the otherwise silent room persisted.

“I see.” Noodle said finally.

“Sure you'll be joining us for some of them,” 2D offered as a half-hearted consolation, “so it's still hanging out in a way.”

“That's fine.”

She looked around the living room. At the duvets and pillows, the still-pristine bowl of cookies, the short-n-fat mug that he preferred because his big hands didn’t need to be too careful with it, and the handful of movies that had made up their go-to rotation of pre-recording day relaxation.

“This is mostly for you anyway.” Noodle finished.

“Then I'm happy you don't gotta no more.”

Noodle nodded, and then it became clear that nobody had anything further to say.

After a cataclysmically long few seconds, 2D turned and shuffled from the living room.

Ace watched him leave, giving him a quick parting nod, but didn’t follow. Instead, he pushed himself away from the table and took a small, casual step forward.

“Hey…” He started, “…just wanted to say-“

“Sorry, Ace.” Noodle cut in, pinching the bridge of her nose in her exasperation, “Dumb thing to witness on your first day.”

Ace tilted his head, seemingly not expecting that as a reaction.

“Well I’ve been told I’m an unreliable witness, so I think you're in the clear.” He drawled, and Noodle smiled faintly. He pointed behind him with his thumb. “He get like that a lot?”

“Uncommon,” she said, standing with a sigh and gathering the duvets, “but not unheard of.”

“I’ll take my share of the blame for it. I was asking about what got you guys to this point- sorry, you mind?” He pointed at the cookie bowl, and took one after Noodle shook her head following a moments hesitation, “and I didn’t realise some wounds are still pretty deep.”

“We were letting him drive the conversation at his own speed,” she muttered, tossing the sleepover accessories into a chest and closing it, “but I think he might’ve parked all that.”

“Nice.”

“Hmm? Oh,” Her smile grew at the accidental wordplay, “was not intentional.”

Ace chewed down the cookie and gave a hum of approval, before dusting his hands. “He wasn’t wrong that I wanted to get to know how y’all tick, can’t imagine it’ll take as long as he made it out, though.”

Making himself useful, Ace picked up the DVD’s on the floor and took them to the rack, taking a moment to make mental note of the films chosen.

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Noodle called over her shoulder, “Nowadays he likes a routine, so get used to him a lot.”

“Well he opened up a lot about what went down with Doc on the beach, so it might not be as long as you think.”

There was a stilted pause behind Ace, and he took his time putting the movies back to let it continue.

“He did.”

Ace turned, hands relaxed in his jacket pockets, “Uh huh.”

Noodle’s stunned expression was a picture.

“Really?”

He nodded brightly, “Surprised himself, I think.”

Noodle swallowed, and looked to the doorway.

“That’s good, right?” Ace asked.

Noodle tapped at the bowl, unintentionally filling out the beat that the second hand was laying down.

“Yeah,” she murmured unsurely, “that’s good.”